The Supreme Court of Israel ruled on Thursday that Israel must return the bodies of Palestinian anti-occupation activists killed by the Israeli forces.
Lawyer Mohamed Mahmoud from the Prisoners’ and Ex-Prisoners’ Commission said the court issued the verdict following appeals filed on behalf of the families of the Palestinians whose bodies have been withheld by the Israeli occupation authorities.
The court also ruled that the bodies of slain Palestinians be not buried at the Cemetery of Numbers and be handed over to their families.
The panel of adjudicators said the detention of dead bodies is devoid of any legal basis.
The lawyer added that the court adjourned the release of slain Palestinians held in refrigerators or those who were buried in the Cemetery of Numbers in recent months pending a final verdict regarding appeals filed by their families. In case a law is not passed in the next six months the bodies will be returned to the families.
At least the bodies of 10 Palestinians killed by the Israeli forces have been withheld by the Israeli occupation authorities.
